Before every battle we must face this

Ps. 121: 1- 3 "I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come?  My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.  He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber."
No matter what reality is surrounding you right now, know this, that God is with you.  That is a promise that you can stand on.  You can count on God.  Every time.

The Bible is full of stories as proof of His Presence.  I was reading in 2 Kings 6:13 - 18, the story of war between the bad guys and the good guys.  The enemy forces were sent out in the cover of night, in mass, to surround the city.  The next morning, Elisha, his servant, and troops went out to do battle.  It was known the force they were about to encounter.  Upon surveying the surrounding situation, the servant became overwhelmed with the view.  "Oh, my lord, what shall we do?"  All he could see was the view in front of him.  A looming line of soldiers ready for the attack. 

My mind goes to those John Wayne westerns that are often replayed in our house.  This scene is in about every one of his productions.  His character is usually the good guy in the well worn, trail-dirty hat, the Mr. Do-Good, fighting against the bad guys.  There is always that moment of sizing up the enemy, in the valley, the lowest place on his trusty steed, surrounded by his armed companions.  

There's that moment before battle...

...when he stops to evaluate, looks to the hills see who he is fighting.  He sizes up his enemy, he captures that scene.  As he looks up, he gathers his gumption, and his troops and sees victory.  He remembers why he  fighting, who he is fighting for and then courage comes.  He fights.  The good guys always win in the movie.  We watch John Wayne embrace the battle, and standing on what he knows.  

Life is full of battles...

When Elisha and his servant surveyed their options, Elisha said look again, "Don't be afraid, those who are with us are more than those who are with them."  The servant looked again as Elisha prayed for God to "open" his eyes.  The servant scanned the horizon.  He saw the hills "full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha".  Warriors of God lined the edge of the craggy hills, ready for the attack, ready to fight the battle.   God sent the back up team.

What a sight that must have been.  In their valley, they sought help from the Lord.  At their lowest point, they looked up and saw the Lord's help.  Let that soak in...that moment of victory, that moment before the battle sets defeat in their hearts and in their minds.   They saw hope. 

They lifted their prayers to the only one who could save them and they saw God help and hope,  from their valley, their lowest point.  

Don't miss this...there has to be a low spot to see the high points of faith.  We have to let the God who equips us, prepare us.  We prepare so that we can carry His armor, and to be ready to fight for what is important.  With God's help and hope we embrace battles His way.  We can't relent, retreat, or be lacking in bravery.  We aren't in life's battle alone.  God does not leave us in a bind, nor does God abandon.

He sees us through every battle.

You might think that you are the only one going through tough times now.  Sure it looks different in your house than mine.  You might have different stages of cancer, illness, loss, temptation, addiction or devastation.  We are all battling something.

There's a moment before the battle that we must submit or agree with God that we can't do life alone, we should never what to get a point where we think we can, nor should we excuse God from our current storm.  

Never remove His sovereignty from your situation.  

Whatever you are facing to day, know that your help comes from the Lord.  I have known this in the most personal way.  God's help is available for all.  He will line your "city" with the most awesome warriors too.  Just ask, seek, see and trust His sovereignty in every situation.  He's got this battle just like He had the last one.  See your moment of victory!

How have you seen God surround your "city"?

The currency of God's love

"God's love is always now." ~ Judah Smith

God is real and so is His love.  God continues to show us in so many ways.  It's summed up in Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  

God is the only one that sent someone to die for me.  That's speaks volumes of forever love for me. ~ Janelle Keith

Before we were a thought, He loved us.

Before you took your first breath, you were loved.

Before time began He loved, and before your time began, again there was God simply loving us and expecting nothing in return.

This is hard concept but we have to get this by faith to receive this.  

Let's be honest, it isn't something that you can feel on some days, but it's by faith we receive and understand it.  And when we get it, then...wow! His love hits us between the eyes and goes straight to the heart.

When I think about God's love, it sends me to a place that I like to wander to and stand in awe of.  It's relentless, never gets tired of chasing our wayward hearts.

His love can reach to deepest depression and give us a hand up.  It can lift our eyes to the highest emotional high to encourage us, and wraps us warm all over.  We can't be separated from it on our worst day.

It's for us now, as it was yesterday and will be tomorrow.

It's current, fresh every morning and walks with us through our days.  Knowing that we are that "someone special" for God should make a difference in our daily life.

All this love talk is sometimes hard to swallow when rejection and pain come from the corners of our lives, but God's love is perfect and doesn't judge.  It's long-lasting and eternal. It never gives up on us.   His love always hopes for us as God is our hope!

God's love is described quite nicely in 1 Corinthians 13: 4- 8  "Love is patient and kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. ...And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Love wins.  Each and every time, always, now and forever.   God's love changes our nows and our forever.  God's love changes us, be changed by God's love.

You (fill in your name here), yes you, are loved.

What is one of the hardest things to understand about God's love for you?

To hear a great message on God's love listen here!

2013 in a word

Photo credit:  Cindee Snider Re

I decided one day, in 2012, to mark the forward year with one word.

I had such a hard time coming up with just one.  But then I sought the One and God's word for me was...

Hope.

I resolved to learn everything about hope.

Everyday I prayed over the word hope.  I prayed hope.

Daily, hope was on my mind.  Hope was a part of my conversations with God.

Hope was spoken with Holy.

Holy hope was spoken to me.

....Holy Hope was spoken to me.  

Can I just stop....tell you how much I adore how God works a word in our hearts?

By speaking hope, God defined hope in so many ways....by His character.  Hope defined, spoken, shown, revealed, and assimilated into my life.

Hope matters and is endless.

Hope is my anchor.  Hope speaks firm, secure.  Hope begins and ends.  Hope goes ahead of us, hope comes alongside, and is our rear guard.  Hope surrounds.  Hope is moving and active in my being.  

Hope in a word is Jesus.  Embrace Hope.

Jesus is the hope of this world, Jesus is hope.  Hope is what this hopeless world needs.  

Do you need some hope today?  Did this year turn out like you thought it would?

Do you know that God hopes for you?  God has high hopes for you, God has given us all the Hope we need.  Hope is enough.

Hebrews 6:19 20a ~ "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.  It enters the inner sactuary behind the curtain, where Jesus who went before us has entered on our behalf."

Hope is a promise, God promises Hope.  God keeps his promises, always forever.

Did you catch that?  ... Hope is!  We have....Hope.  We have this hope as a steadfast, firm foundation, a secure footing.  We have security, safety, rescue, and refuge.  Hope is our safe place.  Our hiding place, our place is hope.  Hope has a place for us.  Hope speaks life into our unspoken parts, it tethers our hearts to truth.  

Hope saves.  Hope is eternal.

Hope is born.  Hope is with us.

From the storms of my heart to the shores of India, Africa, Louisiana and Canada...Brazil and Honduras...

....I have seen hope.  Hope has no borders, and trust will always show you new faces of hope.

Hope wins.  Hope frees slaves.  Hope opens the eyes of the blind.  Hope has opened the eyes of my soul.

Many things, many memories of this year are now apparent about hope.  There is so much hope.  And oh so many facets of hope.  Hope remembers the goodness of God.  Hope reminds me of Holy Hope.  Hope gently teaches and is my treasure.

Hope....what a gift!   Heavenly hope...

Hope answers prayers.  Hope answers.  Hope is the answer to this world.  

Hope is the answer you are looking for today.  I have seen so many depths of Hope.

If you don't know Jesus, please don't let another hopeless day pass without taking hope inside your heart.  I honestly don't know how a person can live without hope.  It's my lifeline, my anchor, my all, my hope.

Hope is Jesus, and something to hold high and holy.  Hope is real, alive and active.  Hope is something to cling to like a strong hold in your soul.  Hope feeds.  Hope heals.

Hope is my soul's source of strength.  Hope is teaching me to soar, such beautiful hope.

Holy Hope.. it is now my heartbeat, as I hold dear, Hope's breath.  

To know Hope personally click here.

Dear God...may we embrace Hope, deepen our hope.  “An infinite God can give all of Himself to each of His children. He does not distribute Himself that each may have a part, but to each one He gives all of Himself as fully as if there were no others.” ― A.W. Tozer

What have I been up to and how did I get here?

Everyone has to start somewhere....

Today I have started.

Listen to this.....

Let me know what you think,and leave a comment.

Thank you for being my friend.

Big thanks to the early believers and special thanks to the True Believers.

Special thanks to Brett N. for getting me into this!

To Brent, Andy & Carder...you're the best hosts a girl could ever dream of working with.

Thanks to all friends from The House FM,  your support means the world to me.

Now...your assignment...

Did you know that I have my own website?.  It's http://www.janellekeith.com.  It's a work in progress, so please be kind...

Tweet this link and then tag me:  @thejanellekeith
Share on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/janellekeith
Pin it:  http://www.pinterest.com/janellekeith/

And...
Contact me if you want to, let me know what you think about all of this.

Share it with whoever or your dog and cat.  Just listen.......(hope that didn't sound too desperate).

Until next time....

Wise words from the days gone by

Did you know that the birth of Jesus was actually told a long time ago? Believe it there were people that told of the birth of our Savior from the days gone by.

Things haven't changed much over time. People still don't believe in the miracle of a baby, a designated King, coming to earth to be our Savior.

The story seems to be good to be true.

But I believe it.  Because God said so and He keeps His word.

I wonder if that is what the people who heard the vision of the Savior of the world thought too? 

"Could it really be true?"  

Could this simple story of God caring really be the real deal?

Believe it...it's a bit too crazy for anyone to make this up.  And yes, agreed, it is a strange way to save us humans.

Because God says it's true though, I do believe in the miracle of Christmas.  I believe by faith that Jesus came down from Heaven in the form of a tiny, pure little baby to bring salvation to the world.  I believe in the story, even if it sounds a little whacky.

I mean why would Heaven come near to us, in the middle of our sin, in the middle of our messy lives, and in the middle of our upside down world?  Why would Heaven care to humiliate and put to death one Innocent man as punishment for our wrongs, thus giving us a way to live forever with a Mighty and Holy God?

Why?

Because God keeps His promises, and but more so because He loved us first.

Pure Love came down from Heaven and gifts with an Eternity filled with love, joy and peace.  And the Hope of Heaven is near with this Christmas story.  Hope in it's purest form wrapped up in a tiny breathing baby bundle.

Hope comes down and there some old guys who were faithful to tell the story, and write it down.

Here are ten reasons to believe the story:

1. Jesus will come from the line of Abraham. Prophecy: Genesis 12:3. Fulfilled: Matthew 1:1.

2. Jesus’ mother will be a virgin. Prophecy: Isaiah 7:14. Fulfilled:  Matthew 1:18–23.

3. Jesus will be a descendant of Isaac and Jacob. Prophecy:  Genesis 17:19 and Numbers 24:17. Fulfilled: Matthew 1:2.

4. Jesus will be born in the town Bethlehem. Prophecy: Micah 5:2. Fulfilled: Luke 2:1–7.

5. Jesus will be called out of Egypt. Prophecy: Hosea 11:1. Fulfilled: Matthew 2:13–15.

6. Jesus will be a member of the tribe of Judah. Prophecy: Genesis 49:10. Fulfilled: Luke 3:33.

7. Jesus will enter the temple. This is important because the temple was destroyed in A.D. 70 and was never rebuilt. Prophecy:  Malachi 3:1. Fulfilled: Luke 2:25–27.

8. Jesus will be from the lineage of King David. Prophecy:  Jeremiah 23:5. Fulfilled: Matthew 1:6.

9. Jesus’ birth will be accompanied with great suffering and sorrow. Prophecy: Jeremiah 31:15. Fulfilled: Matthew 2:16.

10. Jesus will live a perfect life, die by crucifixion, resurrect from death, ascend into heaven, and sit at the right hand of God.  Prophecies: Psalm 22:16; Psalm 16:10; Isaiah 53:10–11; Psalm 68:18; Psalm 110:1.  Fulfilled: 1 Peter 2:21–22; Luke 23:33; Acts 2:25–32; Acts 1:9; Hebrews 1:3.

The God who wrote these Scriptures makes good on His promise to us.  

He is faithful to his Word.  And He definitely loved us first.

Believe in the miracle of Christmas because these older wise men sought God as they were writing and have left behind a beautiful telling of the Jesus story for us to believe.

These are wise words from those who didn't get to see the promise that we get to celebrate.  Believe in Jesus this Christmas.  

Hope's name is Jesus, Jesus is the Hope of this lost, upside down world.

This was written because you are loved.  ~ the Hope specialist.

What pops your faith balloon?

Believe me....I really thought about the title of this post.  It made sense at the time.

This is for all of you readers that have wondered what God was up to in your life.  Today, I went back and took a deeper look at the birth announcement of John the Baptist.

As you know, he was the son of a priest named Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth.  Read this post about how that news came down the prayer chain.  John, was a great prophet, who prepared people to meet Jesus.

When I combed back over the story again, I noticed something.  Have you ever noticed that this epic announcement came by way of the super-angel Gabriel, who was only pulled out for a few occasions - making earth shattering announcements?  And it was really Zechariah's unbelief that popped the faith balloon?

And then I still wonder why the dude found out first before the mother-to-be?

We've already looked at how Zechariah received the news that he was going to be a dad.  The one striking response was his doubt that met the angelic delivery.  Luke 1:11 tells of how Gabriel gave this first time father the news of his lifetime, even ushers with a peaceful ..."Do not be afraid!"

Zechariah's response?  Luke 1:18 "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."  

Now I don't know about you, but wouldn't an angelic face to face meeting been enough proof to believe the message from the appointed messenger?

Maybe that's just me.  But no..old Mr. "Z" had the nerve to ask the "how" question.

And then I took another look at my own prayers...

I found out that I had been wanting a little more proof of God too.   How often have you found yourself in the middle of doubt when God has laid something on your heart and was really only asking you to trust and obey, to simply take him for His faithful word?

Because of Zechariah's doubt, he was struck mute.  God has not caused that to happen to me just yet, but has every reason too, as my own list of doubting Thomas moments has been made.

I don't blame 'ole Mr. "Z" for thinking logical first.  Isn't that what we tend to do?  And when we don't understand the hows of God, we respond to His promise with an "Are you sure about this?"

Would it be more honest to say that we want all the pieces of the mysteries of God before we believe the mysteries of God?

If so, where would the word faith come into our prayers?

I giggle at myself when I pray ..."surprise me God", and then am really surprised at how He answers my prayers.   Shouldn't we always be surprised at how God answers our prayers?  We should be, but we aren't, because doubt often comes into play and steals our heart response, bringing unbelief to our conversations first.

Can't we trust God to know what He's doing first before He brings about His promises?  Wouldn't His faithfulness prove every one of them?

Yes, I believe so.

I love Elizabeth's response though when she receives the birth notice.  Can't you hear her teary joy-joy-happy sigh from here?  Luke 1:25 records that she said publicly, "The Lord has done this for me.  In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people."

She responded with belief and hope.  Ever wonder why she wasn't told first?  Could it be that the bigger miracle was to have the husband lead in believing, a man who was supposedly was more near to God with his calling rather than a devoted prayer warrior wife in the faith family tree?

I don't know...just wondering...

The difference is the two responses.  One spoke faith, one didn't.  One thing is for sure, when we respond with faith over doubt we are blessed.

"Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!" ~ Luke 1:45

Those who pray in faith are blessed.  I want to be blessed..and so do you.  So let's go through these Advent days with faith, that as we believe in our God, who has promised us peace, joy, love, an eternal home, and so many more promises (and not just at this time of year) that we can...

....have faith.  Completely.  In all His promises.

Trust in our God who keeps His promises.

....and believe He knows what He's doing.  Yes, even when He is up to His mysterious ways.

Trust.  Believe.  Hope.

My Prayer...God, surprise us!

Candy Land wisdom

As my daughter unfolded the new Candy Land game from the box, the anticipation was building in her young little helper.  Avery waited...but really he just wanted to get his hands on the spinner.

I could see it in his eyes.  Actually, his little 3-year-old anxiety was wanting to touch the spinner, the game pieces, and the board.  All of it.  Candy Land was Lindsay's favorite board game as a child.  As she was setting out all the pieces quickly, the memories also unfolded between the two of us, about the hours and hours of entertainment this board game brought. 

I love how God teaches the simplest of life lessons in the smallest of ways.

As Avery waited for his turn, he quickly lost patience in the wait.  He wanted that spinner now and right now.  He wanted to control the arrow.  As I watched him, God simply spoke to my heart with..."I've heard your prayers, I know you are waiting."

Don't you wish God would whip out His giant arrow spinner board thingy, and simply just show us the next step to take?  And now please?

Avery’s age was at the root of his impatience.  All of you who have prayed for that "what's next" question, please raise your hand!?!  Don't you wish that your next step was laid out in a simple way like the Candy Land sidewalk?  

Do you pray that it would be?

Yeah, me too.  At least, I am not the only one...maybe you are ...

seeking God in your life’s direction

seeking God in a renewed commitment
or...just trying to keep your head above the turbulent waters of change.

Whatever your "what next" is, may I encourage you to simply lay it before the Lord and see what wisdom God will patiently teach you?

Jeremiah 29: 12-14 ~ "When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen.  When you come looking for me, you’ll find me.  Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed. God’s Decree…'I’ll turn things around for you.’" (MSG)

You aren’t willing to wait for something you don’t love.  Yow-wee!  That one stung my heart a little too. 

No matter where you are on the sweet-filled sidewalk of life, we all have questions.  I have learned along the way that we have to trust the process.  When we are seeking God's best in the faith process, we have to trust the process in which God shows us.  

The book of Proverbs has quite the wisdom spin for a pure-focused life plan.  We also have to believe that God is working for us and not against us.  There are times when God asks you to take faith steps even when you can't see the whole picture.

You don't have to know all of God's plan to obey God's plan.

The win for Avery was to get to the King's Candy Castle, the end of the game.  My win is the obedience learned, a more peaceful patience, and a deeper and intense trust in God’s faithfulness.      

As God sees us faithful in our obedience He will lead us in the fullness of His wisdom.  We learn so much patience in the wait, and we have to trust God's spin of Sovereignty, that is if you want peace along with trusting God’s process.  He is the ONLY one who knows what is best for us. 

Romans 8:26-28 ~ "Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along.  If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good." (MSG)

I love the word "pregnant" in the Message version, it's speaks of an almost urgent waiting process.  But with a pregnancy, it does have an end.  And that my friends, gives me hope.  

In our trusting, seeking, waiting, praying...there's hope.  We can't lose heart as God works ALL things out into something good, for our good, and works for the good of those who love Him.

Hope brings an end to the waiting process and transforms into patient rest in God’s process.  Hope reassures my obedience.  Hope triumphs doubt in prayer, and results in an expectation that God is working on my behalf.  Hope helps me to faithful and trust the process and obey God's wisdom.

Since I want His best, why would I want to grab the spinner thingy away from the One who can make all things possible?

His patient perfect plan is always worth my patient obedience.  This day and everyday of advent, make room in your heart for patience.  This time of year, we need more of that don't we?

Where will we put Christmas this year?

You would have to be living in a cave or be a hermit on the mountains to not know that Christmas is upon us. Just check out Facebook and see the many varied ways you all have started your Christmas countdown.

I’m still looking for where I am going to put Christmas this year.  Well, that is the Christmas tree.  Every year I go through this process.  

I face the space battle of where to put the tree.  My daughter Lindsay asks me nearly every day if I have put up the tree yet.  She is waiting for me to say yes, “It’s done.”  It’s her rule, since her birthday is December 7th, that the Christmas tree must be put up and decorated before we celebrate her birthday.  I don’t know how she got to write that rule in our family but she did.  

It’s really her way of waiting for her birthday to arrive.  That’s how she prioritizes the annual day of her life celebrated.  Honestly we all look forward to that one day we too are celebrated, don’t we? 

Celebrations…the days leading up to them seem so long… in the wait.  We wait for the yearly celebrations, the annual Christmas work parties, the 5-10-15-year high school reunions, the family photos to land in our mailbox with all the amazing year’s events crammed in an 8.5 x 11 festive copied letter.  We wait for news from the doctor’s diagnosis, the blood test to be positive or negative, we wait for the pain or cold medication to kick in, and we wait and watch the popcorn pop in the microwave.  

We wait for a baby to arrive.  We wait on and for just about everything.  I waited in a line to save money on some Black Friday sales.    

We don’t mind it seems, unless it’s the immediate answers that we demand of God.

….let’s talk about waiting.  

How often do we get impatient when we have to wait on God?  Have you ever found yourself wondering “when” in your prayers?  

Ahem…well I have.  And every time God answers, oh so gently, according to His loving character.  He taps me on the shoulder reminding me that He invented time.  All the minutes are His, so what are you waiting on God for? 

This morning I read in Luke about a devoted man, Simeon, who waited his lifetime to see the face of his Savior.  Wow….how he must have cried out to God so many times knowing that once he did see the promise of the Messiah King, he would die.  He waited his entire life for one day, one event, one day anticipating and hoping to see the Promised King?  

Consider his wait…he was old, he was “righteous and devout”, he was obedient, he showed up for service to the Lord every day.  “He waited for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.  It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit, that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.” ~ Luke 2:25-26

Simeon waited.  He waited all of his life to see Jesus.  He waited to hold the tiny King in his arms.  He waited for that day with much anticipation.  

What causes a man to wait all of his life for this one day of celebration?  

He believed in the promise of the King.  He believed Hope would come down and rescue the Israelites.  He believed the writers of old who prophesied.  He chained his faith to the only Hope that was believable.  He believed in the promise.  He believed in the consolation of the people who prayed.

According to theasarus.com consolation means relief or comfort.  Simeon believed because the Holy Spirit, our Comforter, impressed upon his heart that Comfort was coming.  Promises are believable when they come by way of holy messengers.  God’s word is chock full of promises.  And each and every one of them are believable.  And worth waiting for.

So let’s talk about waiting…shall we?

All those days of waiting and wondering “when” were immediately erased when Simeon beheld the Promise in his arms.  Simeon waited, the coming of our Savior.   I would imagine he savored in the wait…his heart building with anticipation of Hope, coming to earth for a great celebration.  A great birth.

So now, thinking of waiting for this Christmas celebration has a whole new perspective.  

My prayer:  Oh God, may these days of celebration bring the awakening of our souls, may we tarry in your Holiness, so that we can see the face of Jesus, His Holiness through the decorations, the gifts, the preparations, the specials, the decorated walls and pews…to see you Jesus, to behold you, to make room for you in our hearts and our homes.  Awaken our hearts to make room for you.

Come Lord Jesus come, let us prepare Him room.  May we wait well and with anticipation of Hope today and every day. 

Emmanuel is not just for December

Photo credit:  WhitA

Do you ever have those days when God seems a 1000 miles away?

Our pride puts this distance between us and God. These times make me feel stretched and torn. I like to think God and I are really close.

He is.   He hasn't left.  He never distanced our hearts.

God is with us. Immanuel is not just for December.

There are times when my faith roars like a fierce waterfall, other times when it gently flows like a babbling brook. Grace gently trickling over my soul. Healing waters that sooth and comfort the rocks of life. Days full of swift waters that surge with turbulence, swirling and licking at my ankles.

God's firm foundation grips me steady. Unshakable. Holds. I know He is with me.

"We can trust our God
He knows what He's doing
Though it might hurt now
We won't be ruined
It might seem there's an ocean in between
But He's holding onto you and me
...And He's never gonna leave" ~ Love & the Outcome

Do you trust God when the waters of life get turbulent? Our love for God anchors us deep in His Truth that when those swift currents rise, they will bring blessing to our brokenness.

Are you at water's edge, looking at some swift currents?  On what firm foundation do you stand?

Isaiah 43:2 "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you." 

What comfort to know that the turbulence won't take us under. God is with us no matter what.

He is with us, we can trust His Hope anchor. We won't be consumed. He holds us. On any given day when troubled oceans are flowing high or when gentle streams trickle and tickle our toes, let your feet dangle a bit in His healing grace.

Let me linger here remembering my Foundation at this water's edge.   

"And I will call upon Your name, And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise, My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Your grace abounds in deepest waters, Your sovereign hand
Will be my guide, where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You've never failed and You won't start now" ~ Hillsong United

Looking for the real secret to life

Life is wearing and makes us weary.  Each part of it with work, home, family, church...you name it.  It wears us out.

I think I have found the secret.

Why do we tend to heavily wear the burdens that are supposed to be God's, those that Scripture refer as "light and easy"?

The secret is that we want to accomplish life's multiple juggling acts on our own strength, not God's. Oh...I know..I say it too, that God is doing the work, but we sure feel responsible in managing our strength portions as we live our lives as Christians, juggling all the responsibilities and opportunities that He gives, don't we?

Here's the secret....we can't do what He has called us to do.

The real secret is...
...knowing you can't do anything in this life without God's help and strength.
...knowing and using the gifts that He has given to His glory and full surrender to Him in those gifts.
...being willing to clean toilets if that is what He is asking you to do today, and then asking Him to give you strength to do just that.

The real secret is knowing that we are nothing without the strength of Christ in us.

When life overwhelms us on a Friday,
when we are served with our two-weeks notice,
when we step on the scale on Saturday morning and see a gain,
when we have to bury our children,
when we must respond with God's holiness to whatever circumstances are slapping us in the face,
when you don't know what the next step will bring,
when you don't know which fork in the road to take,
when you are chasing your dreams,
when you are holding the hand of one who suffers chronic pain or cancer,

well...what's your secret?

I have only found that the True Secret is...finding strength only in our hope in Christ.

Isaiah 40:31 "but those who hope in the Lord 

will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles; 

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint."

Strength of an eagle soaring in God's upper Heavenly draft.  Strength for the weary, strength for my worn soul. Strength like the eagle who soars, high and alone, dependent on the Strength-giver.

God has been using a symbol of strength to teach me about His strength.

This secret is not my own.  It's yours too.  Take part in God's secret for all of us.

What do you turn to when you feel worn out by life?

You better know where your socks are

"This is for those who wait." ~ Fireflight

Each and every time that song comes over my radio speakers, I stop and thank God.  I've learned a lot about God and waiting and me.

The Bible is loaded with stories of great people of faith that have waited in their lifetime.  It seemed as if their dreams would never come true or that God had forgotten about the promises He had given them.  And then after years and years and then some more years...and many struggles later, their time of waiting ended.  

There are many verses of encouragement in times of waiting, and God's truth really stirs deep and speaks hope into those long waiting periods.  But a few stand out that really make me thankful for waiting...and it seems that God delivers them just in the nick of time of when my exhausted spirit needs just a little more oomph.

I don't know what you are waiting on, or if you have had ever had to wait on a promise.  But if you have had to wait on God, how do you handle it?

I hope that you have done a little better this than me.  Because honestly there are times when I want to rush His plans.  It seems that I want to get ahead of Him and take the controls of His best moves and then kindly put God in His majestic place in running the entire universe, and act like I know what is best for me.  

What a fool I have been in this waiting.

Recently, there has been a new awareness in this growing season that has really changed my perspective about waiting.    

I simply laid a dream at His feet and left it there.  

Get that?  I left my dreams, the unspoken things between me and God, I left them at His feet.  And then I took my hands off.  I gave them back to the Giver of Dreams.  The very dreams that He planted deep, I let go of them.  "God, these are yours, do with it as you will."  There are God-ideas that I only wonder about, those I can't even wrap my mind around.  That's when you know it's a God-driven dream.  Those dreams that intimidate the hee-bee-jee-bees out of you!  Those dreams that are so big that you have no idea what to pray first.

Those were the prayers when I realized that God was waiting on me.

Did you know that God waits on us too?  Of course the ultimate wait is for us to choose to follow Jesus as our Lord and Savior as His heart desires that we all live eternally with Him in Heaven.  He wants salvation for each of His children.  

Life is full of waiting periods for faith-filled sojourners and it's our faith that's on the line when we choose to believe God for what He has promised.  When God requires a hold on His sovereign plans, the One you wait for will not disappoint you.  

I am always encouraged when I come across these hope speaking verses:

Ps. 33:24  "Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord."

Ps. 27:14   "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."

Ps. 33:11  "But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purpose of his heart through all generations."

Ps. 33: 20  "We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield."

John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world, you will have trouble, But take heart! I have overcome the world."

So when you lay your dreams, at the foot of the cross and then surrender your own will to let God, the most creative person I know take over, it's time to take heart.  Take His heart to heart.

Ps. 37:5  "Commit your way to the Lord;  trust in him and he will do this."

God will take our heart, he will take His heart and move it to action.  But not just to bring a solution to your problem or deliver a dream.  No, He will bring His fullness to your dream, your problem, your situation or your circumstance.

Keep track of your socks, because He is about to blow them off with His perfection that He's dreaming for you. He will bring His perfect fullness to your dreams.  God's fullness, because of His character, is what we wait on.  And honestly, it's my faint heart longs...for that and let me just encourage you today friend...this is worth waiting for.

So take heart, don't give up, but give into the One who brings His Heart of fullness just your most perfect and right time.  Take heart, God has not forgotten you.  


Let the God of Wonders draw you near while you wait on His Fullness.  Take heart!

"It's breathtaking!"

When God meets us in our storms He's all in.

God's word is a strong anchor to keep us going in the hard times. Yes, life is full of hard times and when the wreckage falls there are some great God-hope-filled accounts that bring the message of God's amazing power.

God's Hope is all we have in the storms of life that brings meaning and purpose to our trials.

Listen to Nikki's lifeline during one of the largest, most powerful tornadoes that ripped through the state of Oklahoma. This is a POWERFUL call. Nikki is a 4th grade teacher at Plaza Towers in Moore, Oklahoma. It’s a miracle story! So moving!!!

Listen to her awesome and amazing-full-of-hope story here.

The verse that she quoted is Psalm 91:4 ~ 

"He will cover you with his feathers,

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart."

There is nothing else to say but God is breathtaking!

"God in His ultimate sovereignty saved our lives!"

Hope Meets Poverty

I wasn't prepared for this.

I wasn't prepared to see depravity face to face nor ready to see life in the middle of hopelessness.    It's striking, shocking, and full of contrast.  In it's raw forms it's always honest and revealing.

There is no way to get into this broken scene gently.  What I saw was one of the most heart wrenching glimpses and certainly a dark look into the lives of the Dalits, dwelling in the most despicable living conditions...you could ever imagine.  I was smack dab in the middle of a slum in India.

I am not sure that anything could have prepared me for what I saw that day.

Through many trips I have experienced poverty at different levels and the face of poverty looks different each place I go.  Poverty has different degrees and levels to it.  It's very definitive of each culture and has life altering circumstances with each face that dwells.

I might be oversensitive to this, but I always walk away changed because of deep look at poverty's face.  It's in these stories that I wish I could turn into a super-hero and save every last child that is forever found there.  But I know that is not what they need.  They don't need a loud white American to sweep away their slum life.

So my question to God is why He wants me to care about the least of these.

  "Because I care about the least of these.  These are my children too".  

This class of people are untouched and unnoticed, segregated and separated.  Such contrast from high rises on one corner flanked by expensive apartment buildings to make shift "homes" made of whatever they could find in the trash pile.  For some it's just a piece of ragged cloth.  

How do you raise kids in someone else's trash?

I saw a 10-year old begging for money, the money wasn't for food, it was for his tobacco addiction.  Almost every street corner was littered with young lives peddling something in bondage to a mafia boss.  Slums filled with hopelessness, block after block, on every street corner, poverty at different levels on display.  It was hard to walk into the slums that day.  

"God, please guard our hearts and help me to see with the eyes of your heart."

Maybe a better description would be the condition of my heart after I walked away.

Wrecked.  Something inside me breaks hard. 

My heart is moved by the emotional assault that keeps replaying in my mind.  I don't want to forget.  Dear God, let me not forget.  Let their silent cries penetrate my heart.  Let the poor among us not disappear from my deep thinking....let it not go unnoticed in my daily intentions.  Let it not fade into the background of my somewhat ungrateful and comfortable attitude that slips easy into my heart once back home.  God, please guard me from the sin of entitlement.  God, I saw desperation.

As I loaded up in the back seat of the van, the tears again fell for knowing that I was the "poor in spirit". May the slums scenes replay in my heart to break the blind spots to the hurting, the poverty stricken, the lost and lonely, the homeless, the child slaves, sex trafficked juveniles, the homes of the broken.  

Maybe it's me...and you...too.

Now that I have seen this, what do I do about that?    There is really only one response that comes down to meet poverty.

Hope.  Hope meets poverty.

The problem is that they are the not invisible, or untouchable, or hidden.  GFA supports slum ministry that brings Hope to the faces of the Dalit poverty-stricken people.  Hope meets them in them right where they are at and gives them the gospel message, shows them the face of Christ and gives them a hand up, not a hand out.  I am so thankful that God's hope transfer takes place even in the slums.

"Invisibility is not a real superpower -- but listening, seeing and learning may be."

Now that I have seen...may my walk through the slums serve as a catalyst to move my heart into a deeper level of compassion.  Society likes to hide and tuck poverty away silently, and put slum-band-aid-labels on their lives.    

"Blessed are those at the end of their rope because they can be tied to God.

Blessed are the broken for they can be gathered into His belonging.

Blessed are those who find themselves wholly empty, 

because they have space to be holy filled with God." ~ Ann Voskamp

I am moved by their desperation, and how God meets them in their vulnerable state of emptiness with His fullness.  When there's nothing left but God, there you find the true Hope.